St. Landry democrat., 1887-09-24

the tenement-house system is apparent.
The system is confined to New York
city and suburbs, and IS not in operation
anywhere else. The ''truck" system,
too, comes in for much criticism. 1t is
pursued principally in Pennsylvania
where the manufacturer weighs out
leaf tobacco, like the tenement-house
manufacturer to his hands, who take
it to their homes, where the whole family
engage in the different branches of cigar
making. No tobacco is wasted, for the
manufacturer expects and receives so
many cigars from leaf tobacco which
he furnishes Cigars made in this way
can be sold as low as 50 thousand, the
government tax of So a thousand in
| cluded. A tive-cent cigar costs the whole
saler all the way from $50 athousand
down to 50 thousand, although the latter
quality of cigars are most frequently sold
as "twofors," two for nickel.
Key West received its start as cigar
manufacturing point because of its con-
tiguity to Havana and because of its
warm, moist climate, conditions very IA
vorable to cigar manufacturing. Its rep
utation was seriously hurt at one time by
| the poor quality of cigars made there.
| From its nearness to Havana, it was pop
ularly supposed that only cigars were
| made there of Havana tobacco, but ava
ricious cigar manufacturers soon found a
way to introduce vast quantities of Amer
| lean cigar tobacco there. The reputable
cigar manufacturers found that the use of
anything save Havana tobacco was de-
stroying their business, and for time
the sending of Pennsylvania and Con-
necticut tobacco there ceased. Now that
Key West cigars have once more pres
tige, certain manufacturers resort to the
old tactics, and the reputation of Key
West for producing fine quality of CT
gars is fast being destroyed.
In 1880 the first pound of Sumatra
tobacco made its appearance in this
country. 1t was rich looking, silky and
glossy, of uniform color, and at once
found favor with cigar manufacturers.
Its yield, too, for wrapping purposes
commended it, for it was found to 60
four times further than any native to-
bacco. Grown on virgin soil by coolie
labor its growers, the Dutch, found no
difficulty in finding a market for it. 1t
was brought to Amsterdam, where 1t is
sold by public auction, and buyers from
all parts of the world scramble in their
haste to get some of the precious leaf
Americans took kindly to the tobacco
from its inception, and SO great was
the popularity which it obtained that
the American growers of cigar tobacco
became alarmed and besieged Con-
gress with a flood of petitions. They
finally succeeded in getting the duty
on it raised from thirty-fve cents to
seventy-fve cents pound, but they have
not succeeded in destroying its popular
ity. If your cigar has peculiarly thin
and glossy wrapper, free from any coarse
veins, be sure it is Sumatra tobacco.
The clear Havana cigar industry is
gradually assuming large proportions in
this country. 1t is controlled almost en-
tirely by Cubans or Spaniards who have
become citizens of the United States They
employ almost wholly Cuban or Spanish
workmen, who pursue the same methods
as are employed in Havana. No binder
is used, and the cigar is fashioned entirely
by the cigarmaker's skill. AS Havana
tobacco only is used, there is no reason
in the world why the cigars they produce
are not as good as the best imported.
The duty on Havana tobacco is thirty
five cents a pound, while the duty on
imported cigars is So so pound and
twenty live per CeuI. ~ O0tOIeHt, 50 lidt d
cigar costing $50 thousand in Havana
will cost 500 by the time it reaches here.
Wemade in this country this fiscal year
ended June 80 last something over
3,75O,O0O,OO0 cigars Of all descriptions,
which at So thousand nets the govern
ment, it will be seen, handsome sum.
We import annually about 2OO,000,00O
cigars from Cuba. These are chiefly of
inferior quality, because of the high duty
placed upon them by our government.
The fine grades that cost from $3.50 to
$500 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to fifty
cents apiece in Havana-are all taken by
English and Russian noblemen. Spain
forbids by law any tobacco from coming
into Cuba whatever, so the cigars made
there are actually of Havana tobacco.
i'll was asked what kind of cigar
preferred consulting my modest pocket,
I would promptly say: An old-fashioned
seed and Havana cigar, the filler grade
of choice Vuelta Abajo Havana tobacco,
with Connecticut binder and wrapper,
for then | would have smoke of solid /
comfort and one fit for the gods.
ROBERT II. FORD.